The best apps for autistic toddlers will help you get through the day with a bit of ease and keep your little one happy as well.
Toddlers are a challenge, but they also bring joy. They are learning to communicate with other humans, which is something that can be difficult for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The best apps for autistic toddlers help them learn how to talk and how to understand others by using their own kind of language.
These apps can also help teach your child about the world around them in ways that are safe, fun and educational.
If your child has ASD or if you suspect they may have ASD, you should consult a doctor before using any of these apps. If your child does not have ASD but struggles with communication skills or behavior issues like tantrums, these apps may still be helpful for your child’s development.
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The Best Autism Apps of 2020
Proloquo2Go
Endless Reader
Language Therapy for Kids
Otsimo
CommBoards Lite
ABC Autismo
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One in every 54 children in the United States has autism spectrum disorder, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Autistic children and adults, as well as their families, teachers, and loved ones, come from all walks of life.
Though symptoms vary widely from one person to the next, they may include speech delays or complete absence of speech, lack of interest in friendships or relationships, difficulty with social cues, fixation, repetitive behaviors, avoiding eye contact, and poor motor skills.
For autistic people and parents of autistic children, help may come in the form of technology. We’ve rounded up the best apps for autism in hopes they’ll reach and impact more people.
Proloquo2Go
iPhone rating: 4.7 stars
Price: $249.99
Proloquo2Go is an app specifically designed for people who are nonverbal. It promotes language development and allows people to communicate through the use of pictures. It’s designed not only for autistic children, but their families, therapists, and educators. It presents users with images they’re most likely to use and has a level-based system for basic to advanced vocabularies.
Endless Reader
iPhone rating: 4.4 stars
Android rating: 4.3 stars
Price: Free with in-app purchases
One of the first steps in learning to read is recognizing sight words, which are some of the most commonly used words in children’s books. Endless Reader begins here, teaching children the words most important in learning to develop reading skills. The app and first package of words are free! The app uses colorful monsters and fun sounds to keep users entertained and engaged.
Language Therapy for Kids – MITA
iPhone rating: 4.4 stars
Android rating: 4.6 stars
Price: Free with in-app purchases
This app for language and cognitive abilities has gone through clinical studies and helped over 8,000 children learn how to speak confidently and achieve language development milestones. It’s also available in numerous languages, including English, Spanish, German, Arabic, and more.
Otsimo | Special Education AAC
iPhone rating: 4.5 stars
Android rating: 3.2 stars
Price: Free with in-app purchases
The Otsimo app uses techniques designed around applied behavior analysis (ABA) and alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) to help children reach speech development milestones as well as achieve desired lifestyle skills, behaviors, and much more. It has over 50 games that can be personalized to a child’s specific needs, and it provides progress reports along the way that show how far they’ve come since using the app.
CommBoards Lite – AAC Speech Assistant
Android rating: 4.1 stars
Price: Free with in-app purchases
Using the AAC method, this app provides a communication assistance method that lets users tap on images, hear sounds and words pronounced aloud, and develop personalized communication boards that can help them verbally communicate their needs and thoughts. It acts as a virtual tool belt of common words and can help users learn to verbalize their thoughts with practice over time.
ABC Autismo
Android rating: 4.4 stars
Price: Free with in-app purchases
This app provides a number of fun, educational activities in English, Spanish, and Portuguese based on the TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communications Handicapped Children) methodology that acknowledges the biological basis of autism and other spectrum conditions that result in specific communication strengths and weaknesses. This app helps people of any level of verbal communication develop their skills, build their confidence, and have fun learning.
If you want to nominate an app for this list, email us at nominations@healthline.com.
Written by Tim Jewell — Updated on August 11, 2020
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